Major Finding: Use of proton pump inhibitors increased patient risk for diarrhea due to Clostridium difficile infection by 80%.
Data Source: A meta-analysis of 21 studies from 1990 to 2010 including 133,054 adults on PPIs.
Disclosures: Dr. Janarthanan reported having no financial conflicts of interest.
SAN ANTONIO — Proton pump inhibitor use was associated with an 80% increase in the risk of Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea, based on data from a meta-analysis of 21 studies.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are generally considered safe, resulting in some degree of indiscriminate use, said Dr. Sailajah Janarthanan of Wayne State University in Detroit. PPIs have faced scrutiny for a possible association with C. difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD), but results from previous studies have yielded mixed results, she said.
“Given the millions of individuals on PPIs, even a slight increase in the risk of CDAD conferred by these drugs will have major public health implications,” she emphasized.
Dr. Janarthanan and her colleagues looked at data from 21 peer-reviewed published studies (7 cohort, 14 case control).that included 133,054 individuals.
Overall, there was a significant increase in the risk of CDAD in patients taking PPIs (risk estimate, 1.80). The risk estimate was 1.55 in the case-control studies and 2.07 in the cohort studies.